Lost
by Scath Rocco Meoi
Summary: Link is in serious need of adventure when a failed time travel attempt sends Heero to Faron Woods. HeeroXLink
1. How They Met

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: **This is only an experimental fic. I'll continue it if anyone's interested. I just felt obliged to write it since it was a request from my best friend... It was fun to write and though I think it feels a little rushed I couldn't come up with it any other way. I'm not a big fan of crossover myself but when it's well written and the scenario for the characters to meet is well planned and has a real feeling it can become quite a good read. XD

**_Chapter 1: How They Met_**

"… and once you are there you will contact me and keep me updated on the mission." J explained one last time and Heero felt like growling, he had heard those very same recommendations more than enough times for him to never forget them for as long as he lived.

He walked to the machine, which, to him, looked a lot like a glass made elevator, and checked his guns and communicator one last time. That whole plan seemed stupid to him but he was the 'perfect soldier' and he followed orders without questioning them.

'_Travel back in time and prevent Heero Yuy, the colony leader, from being murdered.' _Those were his orders and he wouldn't fail, not even if it meant changing the whole history including his own.

"Have a good trip." J smiled pulling down the lever.

* * *

Link stared contently at the blue sky, another uneventful day taking care of the goats, that was the life he had always wanted but still it lacked a little more adventure, nothing too dangerous that put his beloved ones in danger and worried him just something thrilling.

Epona moved nervously and whined trying to get him to pay attention to whatever she'd seen. A light column was descending from the sky and disappearing between the trees not far away.

"Link! Did you see that?" Ordon's mayor, Bo, came running towards him.

"It was probably in Faron Spring."

"Could you…?"

"I'll go and check." He jumped on Epona and urged her towards the gate, shouting to the mayor over his shoulder. "Warn Fado that I'm gone!" he could barely see the older man nod as he galloped away.

All the way to the spring the forest was as quiet as any other day with birds chirping here and there and squirrels running up trees as they passed. The spring had nothing different either, except for a very distressed brown haired man sitting in the middle of it.

* * *

Heero had just recovered from the shock when a blonde youth riding a horse approached with a puzzled expression. The boy was probably his age, he was wearing strange old fashioned clothes and a sword's hilt could be seen behind his left shoulder.

"Are you okay?" the boy dismounted but kept a reasonable distance between them for which the gundam pilot was thankful.

"Fine." He answered checking his guns and the communicator, the latter wouldn't work any time soon and Heero shook his head lightly as he stood, it had been obvious that this time travel thing was ending up badly. "Where am I?"

"Faron woods." The stranger stated matter of factly but that didn't really answer the question so the pilot raised an eyebrow. "It's in the kingdom of Hyrule."

"Who are you?" Heero changed the subject but the word 'kingdom' wasn't lost on him, not only had J managed to send him back to medieval times but also to a place he'd never heard about.

"I'm Link." The blonde stepped forward and offered his hand together with a small smile.

"Heero." He accepted the hand, surnames didn't seem necessary.

"You came from that light, didn't you?" Link was serious again, he should've made sure the guy was not an enemy before introducing himself, but how could someone who did not even know where he was be a menace?

"I guess you could say that."

"You're not going to explain yourself?"

"I'm not sure I can trust you." Heero was very objective and the blonde smiled, he wouldn't trust a stranger either, but he probably already had.

"Well, whether you tell me or not doesn't change the fact that you're wet and I can't leave you there like that."

"Hn." The pilot didn't say that if he were Link he would leave himself right there, wet or not. How could that boy trust him so easily to take him to his house when they had met not five minutes before?

"Come on." Link grabbed Epona's reins and motioned for Heero to follow him, the brown haired youth seemed to think too much. Did he think the blonde was taking him to a trap? He couldn't be _that _suspicious, could he? Wherever he came from people must be very dangerous.

* * *

"Link!" Ilia, his childhood friend was waiting by his house when they arrived. "Dad told me to wait for you. He was worried about what you may have found in the spring."

"Oh, well… He shouldn't have worried so much."

"And did you find anything?"

"Actually…" Link moved out of the way and turned to the young man behind him. "This is Heero."

"Hi, I'm Ilia." She greeted smiling and the gundam pilot wondered if it was a good idea for more people to know he was around. Probably not but it was already too late so he nodded to the blonde girl.

"He doesn't seem to be of the talkative kind." Link whispered to Ilia somehow apologetically and gained a raised eyebrow from Heero. "We've just got a lot to do so I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Right, the sun's almost setting." She took a quick look at the sky. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

They watched quietly until the girl disappeared then Link motioned for the other boy to follow him inside. He picked some dry clothes and gave them to him before leaving to 'tuck Epona in' as he put it.

Finding himself alone, Heero quickly changed into the clothes he'd been given and concentrated on examining the small house. It impressed him that he'd get to know life without electricity, but was even more impressed at how comfortable it felt, perhaps he had needed to get away from everything that he knew, to get to know that unconditional trust that he'd been suddenly granted.

He shook his head and turned his attention to the pictures, which adorned the walls, there was one with a creature that looked a lot like a bull but at the same time was nothing like one, there were two pictures of Link's mare, one of an unknown older man and another with three children but none of the blonde or his family. It seemed Link was alone, like him. Was it because he was different? Because he had those pointy ears Heero had only seen in elves from fantasy books?

"What would you like to eat?" the blonde asked as he entered closing the door behind him.

"I'm not hungry."

"You sure? I'm not a very good cook but I can make quite a descent soup." He was grabbing kitchen utensils all over the room.

"Why?" the pilot couldn't stand it anymore, he hadn't been trained for that, he had been prepared for a cruel world full of even crueler people. Link stopped and turned to him. "Why are you treating me as if you had always known me?"

"Because," the blonde smiled wholeheartedly. "that's how I'd like to be treated if I were alone in a place I didn't know."

"I could've killed you."

"You've got no reason to." The smile never wavered, not even for a second and Heero cursed himself for being so easily readable but who was that guy anyways? "Why don't you trust me too and tell me what you're doing here?"

Link took a sit at the table and pointed the other chair for the brown haired youth, he was sure that the story was going to be long and he had had a tiring day.

"What have you already guessed?" Heero took the offered chair, he still didn't like trusting someone he barely knew but it wasn't like he had any other choice of going back to his time either.

"You certainly look like you came from another world but probably not a very distant one since we speak the same language." The blonde was being honest and the pilot could have chuckled if he remembered how.

"I came from the future."

"Really?" light blue eyes sparkle. "But you didn't intend to end up here, did you?"

"No."

"So, now we have to find a way to take you back."

"Don't concern yourself with me. You've done enough."

"I've never met someone so reluctant about accepting help." Link smiled amused. "I need some action, if we could call it that."

"Do as you wish." Heero got up, he'd never admit but he was thankful for the help, he didn't know anyone around and neither where to go. "I'm making dinner."

"You're…" the blonde blinked watching stunned as the other boy moved around the small house with a security he had never had.

"I have to make up to you somehow."

That night Link ate something other than soup and the perfect soldier was finally able to relax.


	2. Aerion

**A.N.: **I still can't believe I had reviews for this! I thought it would be to crazy an idea for anyone to read. XD Thank you, people! I'm in love with this story and I really want to finish it. There's an OC in this, she's going to be pretty important and I couldn't see anyone else playing the role she will play, so I just inserted her there. I guess authors can do that, huh? Have a nice reading and let me know if you want to read the third chapter. ;)

**Chapter 2: Aerion**

He'd been cleaning his guns carefully, at the beginning, but now he was too annoyed to concentrate because a pair of blue eyes were staring at him. Link had woken up with a worried expression that only disappeared when he'd spotted him, trying in vain to make the communicator work, then he said he'd be doing the dishes before they left to have breakfast and Heero could only wonder when he would be done with the dishes at that rate.

"What?" he finally asked.

"Those are very different weapons." Was what the blonde said but what he'd really been thinking was how good it felt not to be alone early in the morning.

"Make sure there are no weapons like these around here _ever_." The brown haired boy resumed his task without another word.

"Well," Link turned back to the dishes, puzzled. "if you say so. It seems I'm done here, we should get going or Uli will be worried." He watched as Heero raised an eyebrow. "She's my tutor's wife. I usually have breakfast there and I'm sure Ilia must've told them about you so they'll be anxious to meet you."

"Right." The gundam pilot couldn't help but mumble, he hated social occasions and that simple breakfast sounded like wedding party, of course it was nothing of the kind, just the whole village gathered to meet him and Link seemed to be having a lot of fun introducing him to everybody.

He met the blonde's tutor, a man named Rusl, his wife, Uli, the owner of the village's only shop, Sera, the mayor, Bo, also Ilia's father and some other people together with a bunch of children whose names he did not care to know. All through breakfast he had to create all kinds of stories, with the help of the pointy eared blonde, to answer all those people's questions.

"It's so good to have you, Heero. I hope you'll stay with us for a while." Uli told him with a motherly smile he didn't remember ever receiving.

"I will." He thought his voice would sound awkward but it sounded nothing but sure.

"You really will?" Link asked himas they walked back to his house.

"I meant I will _have to_."

"Oh, right, of course." The blonde smiled. "You up for some walking?" the eyebrow again. "I think I know someone who may be able to help you go back home."

"Home…" Heero muttered, he had no home. _'So why go back?' _something inside him asked. "Because here is not my place." He finished, despite the part of him that wanted to stay he had to admit he was a little afraid… He hadn't been there for a whole day yet and he already had people 'hoping he would stay', he could grow to like that and that was what really frightened him.

"We should take care while we're crossing the woods… The wolves have been acting weird lately."

"Weird?" his hand reached unconsciously for the gun in his waist but his gaze remained on Link.

"Yeah. They had never gotten so close to the village before and now we can hear them howling so close it's scary." The blonde looked down for a second. "I just don't wanna have to hurt them."

They kept walking in silence until they had reached the field, Link always had a fast pace and he was more than simply surprised the other could accompany him with so much ease.

"How is it where you come from?" the question was sudden and the blonde knew it but he couldn't help but wonder, Heero knew so much about him already and he knew close to nothing about the other boy.

"It's dark, artificial and fragile. The exact opposite of this." He motioned to the open field with his head, they were walking northeast from Ordon and the sun was burning against their skulls.

"But I'm there are nice people there you wanna go back to." Link was trying to reassure himself the most and that was probably why Heero agreed with a short nod, he didn't want to answer questions such as 'if there's nothing there why do you wanna go back?' or 'why not stay?'.

Kakariko Village wasn't much bigger than Ordon, there were two shops, a hotel and, according to the blonde, was one of the most promising villages of the kingdom despite the almost complete lack of vegetation. There was also one house, right at the entrance, that stood out, it was isolated from the rest of the houses and that was exactly where the two were headed.

"This is Renado's house. He's the shaman of the village." Link explained before opening the door. Heero wondered if he had a problem with knocking, or maybe it was part of the local culture to just enter other people's houses… Either way he'd make sure to lock the doors from that moment on. "Reanado? It's Link."

"Link! What a nice surprise!" the long raven haired man appeared from behind the strange statue, which stood in the middle of the room. "I've been thinking about removing this statue." Renado explained. "But what brings you here?"

"Actually, this is Heero." The pilot nodded at the older man. "He has a problem I was wondering if we could discuss over lunch."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"He said this Aerion person lives in a hut in Faron Woods but the only hut in Faron Woods is the one which belonged to Coro… It's been abandoned for months now." The blonde commented in thought as they reentered the forest.

"If it's the only hut than it must be the place."

"And there it is." They stopped as soon as they spotted their destination. "What do you think we should do?"

"Knock." Heero resumed walking with the other a few steps back, he stopped in front of the door, fist connecting with the hard wood.

"I don't have a good feeling about this." Link still whispered before the door opened slowly to reveal a young woman dressed like a dirty pirate.

"You must be Heero and Link." Her red eyes traveled from one young man to the other. "The wind told me you would come. Call me Aerion." The blonde smiled uncomfortably, the other raised an eyebrow as was usual. "Come in."

Link opened his mouth to protest when Heero cut in. "I don't think that's a good idea, ma'am."

"Ma'am?" she laughed hard. "I'm younger than you." The laughing still continued for sometime. "I'm sorry. I guess we can talk right here then, though your problem's a very singular one and will require some research."

"And I suppose the wind told you what my problem is too?" The brown haired boy asked in a skeptical tone.

"The wind tells me many things." Aerion's mischievous smile gave them both an even worse feeling. "I can see you deepest doubts in your eyes. Every last one of them."

"Well, but… Can you help us?" Link's annoyed tone brought a smile to her lips and she played with her long black hair before answering.

"I need to research, as I said, but if you come back within a couple days I will have your answers."

"Good! We'll see you the day after tomorrow then." Heero started walking away, but the blonde didn't follow, he turned back to that strange girl and stared in wonder.

"Can you really see our deepest doubts?"

"You don't want him to leave, do you?"

"I barely know him so I don't see why I shouldn't want him to leave." He had immediately entered defensive mode and Aerion smiled yet again.

"But it's the first time you don't feel lonely."

"I…" he gapped at her, he had so many friends, so many people who were dear to him and yet, he felt lonely but how could she know? He had always hid it well, even better than he'd like at times.

"Don't feel guilty for it. Everybody feels lonely." She turned around but, before closing the door, she added. "You've found him now, so make sure to keep him."

"Keep him? As with a cat or a dog?"

"That's for you to figure out." Aerion blinked and disappeared inside her hut once again.

"He wants to go back, he has people waiting for him… How am I supposed to 'keep him'?" but the door wouldn't answer so, with a sigh, Link followed the path Heero had taken. He thought, at that time, the other would be arriving at the house already but, in fact, he was by the spring, waiting for him obviously. "Thanks… for waiting."

"It's getting dark and if the wolves really are acting weird, as you put it, it's better no one walks around alone."

'_Does that mean you're worried about me?' _the thought crossed the blonde's mind but he guessed he wouldn't be happy with the answer, so he shook the thoughts away and the two set off.


	3. Shopping

**A.N.: **It seems lately, every time a friend celebrates their birthday I present them with a story. If only I had more money I could give them something better, you know. XD I thought a chapter would be a good Xmas present, and it's extra long so… Happy Christmas! And I seriously hope Santa will give me the reviews I asked for. ;)

**Chapter 3: Shopping**

'You've found him now, so make sure to keep him.' The words still echoed in his head as he woke up the following morning, he hadn't figured out what exactly that meant yet but he was sure it meant more than it seemed, and he was starting to feel weird about it. A knock on the door brought him back from his thoughts, if Heero hadn't insisted on locking it, he wouldn't have to be getting up to open it now.

"Good morning!" Ilia's sweet smile greeted him as soon as the door was opened. "I brought some fruit. Daddy bought too many…"

"Oh, thanks!" he grabbed the basket she was handing him with a smile of his own.

"Uh, Link… Can we talk? There's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"Yeah, sure, I just need to find Heero. Have you seen him?"

"Well, I—"

"There he comes!" he pushed her aside lightly so that he could cross the door. "Heero! Where were you?"

"Walking." The gundam pilot stopped for a second, his dark blue eyes running over the two people standing right above him, and he understood what had been about to happen. Should he leave? Link would follow him if he did, wouldn't he? It almost sounded as if he wanted him to.

"Wait for me, will you? I'll get the horses ready and we can go."

"Where are you going?" Ilia cut in.

"To Castle Town. Heero needs 'normal' clothes."

"I hate shopping." The brown haired boy commented under his breath as the blonde walked past him.

* * *

Castle Town was as crowded as every morning, with people running about doing their chores, shopping or going to work. Link was obviously quite famous, there was no one who didn't greet him or stop to ask how he was doing, the consequence however was that Heero ended up being introduced to more people than he cared to count. There were even some giggling girls following them.

"Relax." The blonde patted the other's shoulder and smiled.

"I can't ignore the fact that we're being followed."

"I see… Soldier instincts?" the answer was a short nod. "I've gotten quite used to it already, but I'll get rid of them for you."

Heero watched as the other boy approached the girls and exchanged a few words with them smiling the whole time. Was he being charming on purpose? Wouldn't that make the following worse instead of stopping it? The brown haired boy shook the thoughts away, the girls were staring at him, and he glared making them uncomfortable.

"You wasted quite the opportunity." Link commented when they started walking again. "They seemed to like you."

"If _I _wasted an opportunity I can only wonder how many _you _have wasted."

"They are just not my type."

"From what I noticed you could easily choose any girl you wanted." Heero's voice was his usual monotone, he was only stating facts, but the blonde blushed anyways.

"I… I have never… You know…"

'_Cute.' _The thought brought a smile to the pilot's lips, he had never dedicated much time to such matters himself but he had gained some experience after the wars had ended. "Love is a waste of time. You shouldn't worry about that."

Link was going to tell him he didn't agree but they were in front of the clothes shop so he allowed the matter to drop and pulled the door open making the bell attached to it ring. A woman approached them with a big smile.

"May I help you?" she asked eying them carefully.

"Do you have anything for him?" the blonde asked pointing towards the other boy.

"Nothing as strange as what he's wearing…"

"That's exactly what we don't want." Heero interrupted. It was annoying to hear them talking about him as if he wasn't there.

"Well, then come with me." The woman gestured for him to follow her and he exchanged a look with Link, who shrugged, before agreeing.

The blonde distracted himself with the clothes hanging nearby, he rarely needed to buy anything, especially clothes, so everything looked interestingly different. He was fairly distracted by the time Heero and the woman came back, for a second he almost mistook the brown haired boy for some local countryman.

"You're not as thin as you looked." He commented and received a raised eyebrow. "I meant that as a compliment! You look perfect."

"The last part was unnecessary."

"I know but it's what I think." They stared awkwardly at each other and the saleswoman cleared her throat.

"Maybe one of you boys would be good enough to pay me."

"How much?" the blonde asked but the other interfered.

"I'll pay."

"But you don't have money."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Well… Considering you got here two days ago…"

"I made some this morning while you slept."

"Really? But… how?"

"Helping some of the villagers."

"You're unbelievable."

Ignoring the awe in Link's blue eyes, Heero paid the woman and they left, back into the coming and going of the crowd. They walked for a while in silence, comfortable in the presence of one another, lost in their own thoughts and doubts, until they were in front of the bar where they were having lunch.

"Oh, Link, darling! It's been so long!" a red haired woman enveloped the blonde in a tight embrace.

"I was here last week, Telma."

"But still it's too long." She smiled brightly and turned to the brown haired boy. "Hum… It seems I'll have two handsome young men to take care of now." Winking, she offered her hand. "Telma."

"Heero." He accepted the extended hand ignoring her comment.

"Okay." Telma's smile only widened as she exchanged a quick look with Link. "I like the quiet ones too." She winked again but Heero only stared in annoyance. "So what will it be today, boys?"

"I was thinking about that special baked reekfish." The blonde could barely keep himself from licking his lips at the simple thought of the red haired woman's food, he hadn't realized just how hungry he was.

"Sounds like a special occasion…" she gave him a look he knew meant something, he just didn't get exactly what.

"Why don't we get a table?" Heero, who seemed to see behind Telma's significant look, cut in before the looks, smiles or winks turned into words.

"Go, honey. I'll prepare your food right way." She patted him on the back and he gave her one last smile before joining the other boy on the table.

"You could've been a little friendlier."

"If I had been any 'friendlier', she would've jumped on me." The seriousness with which Heero said that made the approaching waitress laugh.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"You!" Link stared at those red eyes surprised.

"It's Aerion." She corrected. "And you haven't answered my question."

"Something strong." The gundam pilot said barely looking at her.

"Your doubts are getting thick?"

"I believe that's none of your business."

"Polite, huh?" Aerion turned to the blonde. "You?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I work here."

"But I've never seen you here before…"

"I usually take the night shift." She shrugged off the question. "So what will it be?"

"Milk."

"Milk?" Heero and Aerion asked in unison.

"Yeah. Milk." Link looked from one to the other not really sure why they were surprised. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. I'll be right back."

"Now that I thought about it…" the blonde turned to the other boy. "Ilia had something she wanted to tell me, hadn't she?"

"Probably going to confess her undying love for you." Aerion was the one who answered as she placed their drinks on the table.

"Love? For me?"

"Don't act surprised. Deep down you have always known and you've been avoiding the truth."

"Well, I…"

"I don't think you should voice our doubts without consent even if you can 'see' them." Heero interrupted.

"I only voice the ones I believe you should deal with."

"It's okay, Heero." Link gave the other boy a small smile. "I do think she has our best interests in mind."

"Let it all out, honey." Telma pulled a chair as she served their meal.

"I have known about her feelings for quite a long time. I even tried to like her in that way but I can't think about her as anything but a sister, so I've been postponing our 'big talk'."

"Oh, darling, you're afraid of breaking her heart." The red haired woman laid a hand on his shoulder though that seemed to annoy Heero more than it showed, no, he was not jealous. It was just all the 'honeys' and 'darlings' and 'blinks' and 'smiles', it didn't matter who they were directed to, of course not. "I'll leave you in peace now. Enjoy your meal."

"You think I should talk to her when we're back? Because I really have no idea what to say." The blonde said between forkfuls.

"If you're sure you can't even give her a chance then it's better for you to tell her how you feel so that she can move on." He was glad he had managed to think with his head, that was just another proof that he didn't feel anything for the other boy and that he would go back to his real time without second thoughts.

"Give her a chance? She would dump me after the first kiss."

"She's probably never kissed anyone either."

"But it would still be better if I had some sort of… training." Link blushed, he was eighteen already… Could that be any more frustrating?

"Aerion." Heero gestured to the waitress. "Link needs a kissing trainer."

"And what do I have to do with that?" she understood after noticing the blonde's flushed face. "Sorry, you're not my type… But I can call Telma for you."

"No, thanks." The brown haired boy interrupted, he had been sure Aerion would refuse but when it came to the older woman… He had done enough to prove his lack of feeling for Link, hadn't he?

"Well, then train him yourself." The girl suggested before leaving them.

After that comment the food looked a lot more interesting and, by the time they were done, they practically ran out of the bar as if the air inside it had been choking them. The silence, no longer comfortable, stretched until they were riding back to Ordon.

"You're good with horses." The blonde commented with a smile.

"Animals are a lot more reliable than humans. They stay true to their feelings."

"Are people, where you live, as bad as you make them seem?"

"No. They are worse."

"But…"

"Of course there are good people too." Heero answered the unmade question. "But war has destroyed people's trust."

"I see… We had wars too but that was long before I was born."

"I hope that that isn't the future of this… It's all too beautiful to be destroyed."

"It really is beautiful." Blue eyes admired the sunset. "I couldn't ask for anything else."

They had just passed Aerion's hut when the horses stopped and refused to move on, it had grown dark and Link had to light his lantern. They left the horses and decided to check, whatever it was that scared them, on foot.

"Maybe we should go back and wait for the witch."

"Who? Aerion?" the blonde chuckled, she did look like a witch, a good one, but a witch nonetheless. "The wolves are close…"

"No, they are not close… They have surrounded us." And with that they prepared for the fight.


	4. Kyran

**A.N.: **Happy 2010, everybody! And I just seem to be more and more in love with this fic. So much that it's actually writing itself and it will probably turn out longer than I had first planned. You tell me if that's a good or a bad thing. XD Enjoy!

**Chapter 4: Kyran**

"It's just passed out." Heero said as he finished examining the wolf, they had managed to scare the majority of them quite easily but some had still attacked. The one lying on their feet had received a real bad quick on the head.

"Thank, Goddesses! I thought I had killed it…" Link let out a relieved sigh, closing his eyes for a second, when he opened them though he happened to see that the other boy was bleeding and so he told him. "Heero, you're bleeding!"

"Am I?" his tone had a touch of amusement as he followed the blonde's gaze to his ankle where he had surprisingly managed to get bitten. "It's nothing."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Link said making a pained face at the wound. "We should go back and take care of it."

"Hmph!" was all Heero said, not only was he angry at himself for getting bitten but the blonde insisted on taking care of him as if he were a child, no one had ever taken care of him so, to think about it now only made him feel uneasy.

"We're being followed." Both turned after Epona seemed to point something with her nose. From behind a small bush appeared a grey ball of fur that stopped and stared curiously at them with a wagging tail. "It's a puppy!"

"I can see that." The pilot mounted on his horse watching as a smile appeared in the blonde's face when the puppy approached him. "Leave it."

"But it's lost!"

"Leave it. The pack will find it."

"Didn't you see their eyes? Those wolves were not normal, Heero. Now, this one…" he picked the little wolf up, at least he would have company when the other boy was gone.

"Fine, take it."

"What do you think we should call it?" he mounted on Epona, if only Heero knew how soft he really was. Link chuckled when he thought he'd surely get beaten if he said that out loud.

"_First _you check its gender, _then _you ask me what to call it."

"Male." He said after lifting the puppy in front of his eyes.

"Well, then it's up to you."

"No suggestions?"

"Wolf."

"Very creative." Rolling his eyes the blonde stared thoughtfully at the small ball of fur in his arms. "Kyran, beam of light."

Heero didn't get why that wolf would be a beam of light, but he wouldn't question it either, he was just happy Link had forgotten his now throbbing ankle.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He woke up with a wet face… Why was _Link's _wolf licking _his _face? And staring at him like it was in pain? Sighing he got up and searched for something he could feed Kyran.

"There's some milk there." The blonde said smiling at the whole scene, just like himself the puppy didn't seem to mind Heero's bad mood and that seemed to both amuse and scare the brown haired boy.

"Of course, milk." He wondered if the pointy eared boy drank anything other than milk. "You rather start moving. We have an appointment with the witch."

"Aerion's not a witch, Heero." He received a raised eyebrow and chuckled, that was expected. "How's your ankle?"

"It's fine." The truth was, it was horribly painful, but it would take a lot to make him admit it.

Link could see he had taken good care of the wound but he could also see how Heero flinched when he put too much weight on it, he knew they had taken too long to return and that an infection couldn't possibly be avoided but he said not a word, instead getting up and ready for them to leave.

The walk to Aerion's hut was uneventful, she had placed a table outside, close to an old scarecrow, and that's where she motioned for them to sit, her usual mischievous smile already in place.

"I see you have a new baby." She pointed to the small ball of fur that had settled on the floor between them. "But that's not what you're here for so… Have you decided if you're staying or leaving?"

"I'm leaving." He didn't hesitate for even one second and that wasn't lost on Link.

"Well, have you at least done what I told you yesterday?"

"You can't be serious, Aerion. We're both men." The blonde smiled uncomfortably but she only shrugged.

"As if it mattered."

"It does. I've never seen two guys together like that and I'm sure Heero's disgusted." Suddenly two pairs of eyes turned to the pilot who had remained quiet until that moment.

"Your research." He interrupted the discussion clearing his throat.

"It could've changed your mind, you know." Aerion still commented pulling a paper out of her pocket, he only snorted. "Take a look here." She pointed at the map after opening it on the table.

"That's Snowpeak." Link simply stated giving her a curious look.

"You have to go there on foot…"

"On foot?! But that'll take thrice as long as on horseback!"

"That's exactly why you're doing it."

"Because it will take longer?"

"It'll be your sacrifice to the Goddesses! You don't think they'll do their magic for free now do you?"

"I don't see what they'll be getting with us walking all the way there."

"Don't question the way of the Goddesses." She looked fearfully at the sky, and Heero rolled his eyes, at which the blonde had to stop himself from laughing. "When you get to the top of the mountain you'll draw a magic circle on the snow and wait for midnight, the moonlight will activate the circle and all you have to do is step on it, you'll be taken back to your world." She took another paper from her pocket and handed it to them, it was a drawing of the magic circle they'd have to copy on the snow.

"Good." Was all the pilot said before standing and heading back to Ordon, Kyran trotting after him.

"Sacrifice? Don't question the Goddesses?" Link turned back to her knowing Heero would wait for him at the spring. "You don't really expect us to believe that, do you?"

"I got you a few more days together, didn't I?" Aerion laughed.

"Then that's what this whole 'going-on-foot' thing is about?"

"Now you do your part and convince him to stay."

"Thanks." He said shaking his head lightly, he couldn't really convince the other boy, he had important people to go home to.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When they arrived, Ilia was waiting for them, or rather for Link. The blonde gave Heero an apologizing, even pleading look and walked towards the girl motioning for her to follow him into the house. He could still feel the other boy's gaze on his back as he closed the door behind them.

"Is everything alright?" he asked politely.

"Link." She turned to him, her eyes gleaming. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"Really?" he gulped, he knew what was coming but he didn't want it to. "What is it?"

"I…" she looked down blushing. "I've liked you for some time now." She gathered all the courage she had and lifted her eyes. "I think I love you."

He didn't know what to say, of course he had planned quite a speech in his head but he couldn't remember a single word of it, and she was close. When had she gotten so close? He didn't know, his mind was racing, his heart was out of control. She was going to kiss him, and for some unknown reason he thought about Heero.

"I can't." it was his turn to look down. "I'm sorry."

"It's him, isn't it? You like men better." She was almost crying.

"Like men… No! That's not…" he took a deep breath. "I just don't feel that way about you, Ilia."

She shook her head, a mix of emotions crossing her eyes before she stormed out of the house, crying, she climbed down and gave Heero her worst glare as she passed by him towards the village.

Link soon appeared sighing tired and frustrated, when his eyes met the dark blue ones thought he had the feeling Ilia might be right.


	5. Fever

**A.N.: **So, yet another chapter for this. Fevers can be quite nice when you have someone to take care of you, but they're horrible when you're alone… Anyways, maybe there's just not enough love for everybody in this world. Now, how did I start talking about this? XD Hope you guys like the chapter. ;)

_**Chapter 5: Feverish**_

He watched the blonde blush as he approached him and had to stop himself from raising an eyebrow, if he hadn't seen the way Ilia had stormed out of the house he would say Link was blushing because he'd kissed her, but now he guessed that that was simply due to embarrassment.

"So?" that was all he said and he hoped it wouldn't show just how worried, no not worried, curious, he was just curious.

"She said she loves me."

"And?" he had to stop, he was starting to sound desperate.

"And she tried to kiss me, but of course I couldn't let her do it because…" he hesitated, should he tell Heero that _he _was the reason why? No, he just didn't love her. "I don't love her."

"Then she stormed out."

"Yeah, that was it."

"Glaring at me on her way." He added casually.

"She glared at you?" the blonde could feel his cheeks burning again. "I'm sorry for that. I'm sure she was just angry."

"Sure."

Kyran was running about after a small butterfly and for a long time they watched in silence. Link turned back to the other boy on time to see a gentle smile grace his lips, how handsome he looked when he smiled. _'Not that he isn't handsome when he's serious.' _He shook his head, that was such a queer thought.

"Maybe I should've let her kiss me…"

"There's no use regretting it now."

"I know, but I'm already eighteen and I've never kissed anyone!" why he was saying all those things, he didn't know, but he was feeling horribly frustrated.

"Forget about your age. What you have to wait for are the right time and person."

"It's just so lonely at times…" thinking about that made him regret his decision even more, perhaps he would've been able to fall in love with her after some time.

"It is." Heero realized too late what he'd said. Their eyes met again, that really was starting to happen a lot. Thankfully for him Link didn't say anything.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Link said you're leaving tomorrow." A woman's voice said and he turned his head to see Uli approaching. She sat beside him on the grass as they watched the blonde boy deal with the goats. "We'll all miss you but I'm sure it'll be a lot harder on him."

"I can't stay."

"Why? Is it that bad to have people trust you and love you and care for you?"

"No, it's not bad. It's just…" his eyes narrowed as he thought it over. "Scary. To think that I never really had any of these, if I lost it I wouldn't be able to move on."

"Isn't that what we all go through in life?" she smiled motherly at him. "No one can live alone, as much as they want to."

"I know."

"What do you feel for him?"

"Something way deeper than I should ever feel." He smiled sadly. "I would only hurt him."

"You will hurt him if you leave."

"He'll move on, if I stayed I'd hurt him worse."

"Just make sure that's really the best way before you take it." She stood up waving at Link before walking away.

"Is everything alright?" the blonde sat in the spot Uli had occupied not a minute before. "You look sad."

"I'm sorry." Heero said suddenly, his eyes never leaving the already orange sky.

"What for?"

"I don't really have anyone to go home to." He could feel Link's eyes on him, filled with questions he didn't want to answer.

"No one at all? What about your family?"

"I've never had one."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." He watched Heero shake his head. "Then why are you leaving don't you like it here?"

"I do, in fact, I like it more than I should."

"What do you mean?"

"We don't know how my staying here might affect the time flow."

"But I don't want you to go…" the blonde whispered not having any better arguments, and he could see as the other boy's eyes lightened with a nameless emotion.

"Neither do I."

They stared into each other's eyes, they hadn't realized just how close they were, their breaths accelerated for reasons unknown and, suddenly, Heero felt lips press softly against his own. It lasted a second but it meant a lot more than any words they could use to describe their feelings at that moment.

"Are you still going?" Link asked hopefully, remembering what Aerion had said about the other boy changing his mind.

"I have to…" he shook his head again, this time to clear it. Had that really happened? He'd underestimated the blonde thinking that he'd never take the first step _if _he was interested, which Heero had been sure he was not. _'He must be confused after what happened with Ilia.'_

"Heero…" Link knew he had to say something, he was blushing, finally realizing exactly what he'd done. "I…"

"We should go, it's getting cold."

"Cold? It's summer! Wait…" he reached for the other's forehead frowning before touching his own. "You're burning! Come, we should find Uli, she'll know what to do." He started to get up but Heero had his wrist in a tight grip.

"I can take care of myself."

"But…"

He wouldn't hear it, he stood up with some extra effort and started making his way back trying not to move his head too much or everything would start spinning. How couldn't he have noticed his condition before? If he had he would have made sure the blonde didn't discover. Maybe hide somewhere where he would be able to lick his wounds in private, away from those lovingly blue eyes, tempting lips… Damn the excessive body heat compromising his reasoning!

"Heero, wait! Let me help."

"No." he was close to the house now, almost there and nothing was spinning yet. "It's my ankle. It's probably infected."

"Will you at least let me take a look at it?" they climbed the ladder to the house and entered.

"I can do that myself." He knew how childish he was starting to sound, but his brain wasn't really working.

"No you can't. You're sweating, shivering and breathing as hard as if you had been working out for hours."

"Fine." When the room started spinning he had had to give up.

"Lay down. I'll get some fresh water."

Grabbing a bucket he left the house and headed to the spring. _'How annoyingly stubborn!' _Despite the complaints he was truly worried and he wondered if he really shouldn't call Uli. _'Heero wouldn't like it. He's annoyingly proud too.' _With a now full bucket he made his way back.

He found that Heero had surprisingly done as told and was unsuccessfully trying to stop Kyran from licking his face. Link smiled despite himself and started working on the other boy's ankle, he was baffled when he saw a clean wound, there was no infection whatsoever.

"How bad is it?"

"Bad?" Link bandaged it again. "There's no infection… I wonder if you haven't caught a cold."

"Such a silly thing…" Heero snorted, if he had been a little more careful...

"Sleep now. You need it."

And as he leaned into the warmth of the blonde's touch allowing darkness to take over, he knew that getting sick once in a while might not be that bad.


	6. Red Eyes

**A.N.: **This story is coming out longer than expected… That isn't a very good thing because it doesn't give me many comments. XD I love writing it though. And things are heating up this chapter, though I do not intend to write a sex scene, my sex scenes suck. I think it would ruin the story. LOL

_**Chapter 6: Red Eyes**_

It had been a tiring night but he wasn't able to sleep, even when his body started giving him signs of weariness his worry would still get the best of him. By midday no one had still come looking for them and he was grateful because Heero wouldn't have liked to be seen in such a state.

"Hey… You look awful."

"Thanks, Goddesses, you're awake! I was starting to worry."

"Starting you say… Have you slept?" he flinched at the hoarseness of his own voice, it felt as if he hadn't used it for ages and his throat was sore.

"Would you believe me if I said I did?"

"No." he forced himself to sit up, it seemed his throat wasn't the only thing that was sore.

"You shouldn't…"

"Go to bed. I'm okay now."

"But if you're okay we should be heading to Snowpeak."

"We can always leave tomorrow." He must have been horribly light-headed because his hand was suddenly on the blonde's face, caressing his cheek and hair, when he noticed how Link was blushing he realized what he'd been doing and pulled his hand away. "I'm sorry."

"It's… It's okay. I just thought you'd be in a hurry to leave." He didn't know how he'd managed to say anything that made sense, his heart was so loud in his ears… he had never been touched like that before. Why had Heero pulled away? Why had he apologized? Was it wrong, after all, for them to do this?

"Rest. I'll take Kyran for a walk and get some food."

Link watched him leave with a desolate feeling, he had this horrible scene playing in his head of the other boy leaving to Snowpeak without him… The only consolation he had was that Heero didn't know the way, though he could always ask Aerion, but Aerion wouldn't tell him because she wanted him to stay. What if she liked him? Why else would she want him to stay? But if she really did like him, why would she have told the blonde to 'keep him'? The sleepiness was tricking his brain, he decided and collapsed on the _futon_.

* * *

"What did I do that for?" he growled at himself, he still felt the blonde's warm skin and silky hair against his fingers, an annoying ghost of a sensation. Kyran barked at him as if answering his question, it was a pity he didn't speak _Wolvish_.

"Heero, my boy!" the mayor of Ordon was practically running towards him. "Have you seen Link?"

"He's sleeping, he… Wasn't feeling very well."

"Ilia has disappeared!"

"Disappeared?"

"She left, last night, saying that she would sleep at Sera's because she had offered to babysit her children, but Sera said she'd never offered to do such a thing and she hadn't spent the night there either… We waited the whole morning to see if she would appear… I'm worried because the wolves were howling very close to the village last night." He was breathing hard by the time he finished, and Heero had to replay the whole thing in his head to make sure he'd understood everything.

"Have you asked the girl who lives in the forest?"

"The sorceress? We avoid getting too close to her… There's an old legend about people with red eyes, it says they descend from magical creatures that inhabited Hyrule before us and that they can communicate with nature in scary ways."

"Good." He said before the man could continue. "Then I'll go talk to her and you'll wait at your house in case your daughter comes back."

"Oh, right! Just be careful… They also say the red from their eyes comes from the blood they drink."

Heero waved away the man's concerns and, checking if Kyran was still following, he ran to Aerion's hut. As expected she was already outside waiting for him with a cigarette hanging between her lips and a grin.

"Aren't you a little late?" she approached him even more. "She's very cute. I was almost devouring her." She whispered.

"Maybe her father wasn't wrong after all…"

"What?"

"Where's the girl?"

"Inside, resting. It was almost morning when I found her… It seems she was chased by wolves and got lost."

"I suppose you know what happened." He said referring to why he was supposedly late.

"Of course! And I can't believe that chaste kiss was enough to satiate you." She laughed when she received a glare. "Brace yourself… If she didn't like you yesterday she most surely won't like you today." Aerion opened the door for him.

It was smaller than it looked from the outside, the _futon _ where Ilia was lying occupied almost all the space, there was a fireplace in a corner and a counter that probably served as kitchen. He took a deep breath and kneeled beside the girl, he just wished she wouldn't want to kill herself for being found by him.

"What do you want?" she asked with her eyes still closed, she had apparently been pretending to sleep.

"Your father's worried about you."

"Why didn't Link come?" there was rage in those green eyes as they finally opened.

"He wasn't feeling very well." How many more times would he have to repeat that lie? "It seems he regrets whatever he did or said to you."

"He does?" she sat up, the rage being replaced by hope.

"Yes, and now let's go back."

"I'm sorry for glaring at you and all…" she stood up smiling and practically ran out of the hut.

"Did you really just do that?" Aerion asked him dumbfounded when he walked out. Ilia had already disappeared and he didn't look like he was following her.

"He's lonely and I won't be around much longer…"

"You are still leaving? But he kissed you!"

"My hand are drenched in blood…" he started but then seemed to change his mind. "He'll be better with a girl."

"You've really fallen for him, haven't you?"

"I guess… I get easily attached." He started walking then, without looking back, he had done the right thing.

"No, Heero, that's not the right thing… I think I'll have to help you." She smiled as her red eyes fixed on his wounded ankle. "And I have the perfect weapon."

* * *

Blue eyes opened slowly, and he yawned before sitting up. Kyran came running to him, trying to lick his face, he chuckled patting the soft grey fur. "Where's Heero?" he asked those innocent yellow eyes.

"Here." He approached the blonde with a bowl of soup. "Choose whether you want to consider that lunch or dinner."

"I guess it can be both." Link smiled, accepting the bowl, and their hands touched for a second making them look away.

"I talked to Ilia."

"You did?" the blonde lifted his gaze from the soup.

"You should give her a chance, she is… a nice girl."

"Give her a chance? But… why? I don't really think I can."

"We should leave early tomorrow." Heero changed the subject, Link would never understand his reasons.

He watched the brown haired boy walk around getting everything ready for their journey. Had he done anything? It all seemed to be going well that very morning. He had even though that, just maybe… Heero felt something for him, and now he was pushing Ilia towards the blonde.

"I can't be with her, Heero." Link said and the other boy froze. "She was right. I like men better."

Heero turned to him with a sad expression. Was the blonde really sure about that? He felt so hot suddenly and he had difficulty breathing, he clutched his throat and looked away. _'First the fever and now this… Maybe I'm dying.' _When he turned back to Link he felt as if his senses were heightened.

"Heero, your eyes…"


	7. Out of Control

**A.N.: **No, I haven't abandoned this and here's the proof! Okay, maybe I should've, but I'm crazy so… L., that's as close as I got to your wanted sex scene. XD Hope it's enough.

_**Chapter 7: Out of Control**_

"Heero, your eyes…" Link abandoned the bowl and reached for his sword. "They are red."

"Run…" Heero voiced with difficulty, his body no longer under his control as he approached the blonde.

"What?"

"Run!" he jumped grabbing Link's ankle and pulling him back down.

'_Damn! He's being controlled just like those wolves.' _The blonde still had his sword in hand, if only Heero wasn't holding his wrists down… When had he become so strong? He struggled and struggled, in vain, maybe if he could turn on his back he would be able to quick the other boy away from him. "Heero, listen to me, you have to fight it."

"Drop the sword…" Heero whispered in his ear, and shivers ran down his spine despite the circumstances. He pressed his flushed cheek against the cold floor doing as told. "Good."

Link froze, he could feel teeth nibbling at his ear and neck, he was sure he must be on fire, his mind spun but he forced himself to focus. Heero let go of one of his wrists, and he quickly threw his arm back, the strength of the motion managing to invert their positions. Then he jumped on his feet and ran out of the house.

He couldn't run to the village because the other boy was obviously following him so he took the other way, to Aerion's hut, she would be sure to help him. The sensation of being 'hunted' was extremely uncomfortable but all he could do was concentrate on running, he spotted Aerion with a _zarabatana(1)_.

"Get down!" she shouted, and he braced himself for the impact for the impact with the ground, as he fell he could hear the sound of the darts flying past his head. "Ha! Got him!"

"You didn't kill him, did you?" he stood and approached the others brushing some dirt off his clothes.

"Of course not!" she pointed at Heero who was holding his head in obvious pain. "I saw what happened…" she started, smiling when both boys blushed and looked away. "It's a kind of toxin that works on your brain making your subconscious take control."

"So… Heero subconsciously did want to do that." He blushed even more, and the other boy seemed to be trying to find a place to hide.

"That's obvious." Aerion said simply, as if she was supposed to know. "I'm not sure the antidote in the dart was enough to get rid of it for once and for all so be careful." And with that she walked back into the hut shutting the door behind her.

There was silence and there was… silence as each tried to figure out what to say. It was getting late, the sun was setting soon and the wolves were starting to howl, so Heero chanced looking up and, when he saw the blonde still contemplating his feet, he sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, you know." Link lifted his head smiling shyly.

"Maybe." Truth was, if he hadn't really wanted that, it wouldn't have happened, so it probably was his fault. "Did I hurt you?"

"No." he blushed, remembering what had happened. "You didn't." the silence returned even more uncomfortable, if such a thing was possible.

"It's getting late."

"We leave early tomorrow."

"We should go back!" they said in unison, and the blonde laughed getting a small smile from Heero as they started walking.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They were avoiding each other, yes, Link realized that, their eyes never met for that long hour after they had returned and they hadn't talked either. He was playing with Kyran, trying to think about something to say while Heero dealt with those strange weapons he'd brought with him.

"Link!" a girl's voice called from outside.

"It's Ilia!" he stood up patting the little wolf before opening the door to find the green eyed girl smiling at him. "Do you wanna come in?"

"Oh, hello!" she picked up Kyran and giggled when he licked her nose. "I came to apologize formally." She exchanged a look with Heero who immediately stood and excused himself heading to the door.

"Heero," Link seized his arm. "what are you doing?"

"Yes, Heero…" they turned to the girl. "What are you doing?"

"Red eyes?"

"This is getting out of control."

"What is?" Ilia approached them.

"May I hit her?"

"Wait, I have an idea…"

"Stop ignoring me…" she enlaced the blonde's neck with her arms, pressing her body against his. Heero watched the whole scene with constraint.

"Ilia…" Link smiled embarrassedly, it was the second time in one day that he was in such a situation and he didn't know if he was blushing because of her or because they had an audience. "For how long have you had that necklace?"

"This?" she lifted the small red stone in front of his eyes. "Do you like it?" she was whispering. Heero wondered when she had started whispering… and her mouth was getting closer and closer to Link's. Wasn't the blonde doing anything to stop her?

"Ilia, this is not you." He told her, if only he could take that necklace from her before she could kiss him… Suddenly there was a very well positioned hand between their mouths.

"I can't let you do that."

"You…" Ilia turned to the brown haired boy, furious. "It's all you fault. If you hadn't appeared out of nowhere none of these would be happening!" she let go of Link and launched herself at Heero, unintentionally breaking the necklace the blonde had managed to grab during the confusion.

"Heero!"

"She passed out." He said dragging the girl's body to a nearby chair.

"Where do you think she got this?"

"I'm sure I have a good guess."

"Aerion?" the blonde saw the other boy nod and sighed. "I… I think she's awaking." They turned back to Ilia, who was moving slowly, trying to open her eyes.

"Link? Where am I?"

"Don't you remember what just happened?"

"No… Did something happen?"

"You fainted. You must be tired."

"I should probably go home…" she stood, without problems despite being obviously light-headed, and walked out of the house. The two boys stared dumbfounded at her retreating form for what felt like a long time, that had been a strange departure and they did not dare comment about it.

"I'm glad she didn't ask about that." Heero pointed at the other boy's neck before closing the door. Link touched the spot, blushing, he had thought it might leave a mark. "You said I hadn't hurt you."

"But you didn't!" he reached for a mirror on one of the counters and examined the round red mark in his skin. "It's nothing."

"I bit you!"

"The clothes will cover it, and we're leaving tomorrow anyways, until I'm back it'll have faded."

"Shouldn't we solve things with Aerion first?"

"Yeah…" Link lifted the necklace in front of his eyes, the red stone sparkled.

"I think we'll have to postpone our departure yet again."

"That reminds me… Why couldn't you let her kiss me?" he tried to sound casual, as if he didn't expect any specific answer, but the hope in his eyes was obvious to Heero.

"Maybe… _Only maybe _I was jealous." He turned away before his eyes gave him in, and picked Kyran up pretending to be busy.

'_If he wasn't jealous, I don't know what he was.' _The blonde smiled to himself as he touched the mark in his neck absent mindedly.

**(1)**_**Zarabatana **_**– weapon used by south American Indians. It consists of a small tube through which one blows to shoot poisoned darts.**


	8. Smile

**A.N.: **I'm still writing this… Yeah, I must really be out of my mind. XD All I have to say about this chapter is: You'll never know if they made it or not. *evil laugh* But you can choose what suits you best. ;)

_**Chapter 8: Smile**_

It was the second time during that night that he woke up sweaty, hot and… The first time he had just ignored it and gone back to sleep, but now he felt horribly sticky. Taking a look around he noticed Link wasn't anywhere to be seen, and Kyran was staring at him and scratching the door. He sighed, getting up.

Outside the moon was still high in the sky, he climbed down the ladder with the little wolf under his arm, put him back down and headed to the spring wondering where the blonde had possibly gone. He didn't have to wonder for long.

Link was sitting by the spring, shirtless and wet, and if things were bad when Heero woke up, at that moment they got even worse. He was considering returning to the house when Kyran ran past him and straight to the pointy eared boy. _'Damn that wolf!' _was all he could think as he approached.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked walking past the sitting boy to throw some cold water on his face.

"It was too hot in there." Link justified trying not to think about the why it had been hot, he didn't need to think though because Heero was right in front of him and pulling his shirt off. _'And it's getting hot in here too.' _ He sighed.

"We'll be tired tomorrow morning."

"Then maybe it's a good thing that we're postponing our journey to Snowpeak." The blonde smiled as the other boy sat beside him, he stared at his wet white skin, it looked silver under the moonlight, and he wanted to touch it so badly…

"Link?" Heero called him back to reality, and he looked away.

"Were you really jealous? Of me?"

"Who did you think I was jealous of? Ilia?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know. I just thought…" light blue eyes met dark blue ones for a second before turning away again. "Never mind."

"Your gender does not matter to me, Link."

"It doesn't?" the blonde blushed when he saw that smile that seemed to be made especially for him. "That's good, because… I think I love you." He ignored the feeling of déjà vu he had repeating Ilia's words and concentrated on Heero's reaction.

"You shouldn't…"

"I know, but I do anyways."

"That won't stop me from leaving." For some unknown reason they seemed to be getting closer.

"Who said so?" Link stopped him from answering by kissing him hard on the lips. This time there would be neither fever nor red eyes between them.

He felt so warm and comfortable, he refused to open his eyes squeezing them shut, he didn't wanna wake up but whoever was knocking on the door didn't seem to be leaving anytime soon. Snuggling closer to the warmth he decided to try and ignore the knocking.

"Link, let me get the door." Came Heero's still tired voice.

"Why did you lock it anyways?" he mumbled but did roll off the other boy and back to his own _futon_, he heard a couple footsteps before the door was unlocked and opened.

"Good morning!" Aerion greeted cheerfully, her red eyes scanning the house until they settled on one of the counters.

"What do you want?"

"Not a morning person, are you?" she strolled to the counter and grabbed the necklace raising it in front of her eyes for a second. "I only came for this, now I'm leaving. Bye." She ran for the door but Heero was fast enough to grab her forearm.

"Wait right there. I think you owe us some very good explanations."

"Explanations?" Aerion chuckled nervously.

"You heard me. Have a sit." He pushed her towards the table. "Link, get up."

"But I can hear you just fine from here…" he clutched the covers tighter but when the other boy cleared his throat not too friendly he immediately jumped up and took the other chair by the table.

"Okay…" Aerion sighed. "Let's get it over with. What do you want to know?"

"Did you give Ilia that necklace?" Heero asked leaning against the door and crossing his arms.

"Maybe."

"It's yes or no." he growled, and she smiled apologetically.

"Yes, then."

"And you used it to control her?"

"Why else would I give her something so expensive?"

"Then…" Link's eyes found hers and she could see how disappointed he was. "Then you're behind it all? The wolves, Heero…"

"Do you wanna hear the whole story?" Aerion leaned back on her chair lighting a cigarette when they nodded. "Well, everything started when I found this old book among my stuff… It belonged to my grandmother and it explained about manipulative magic. Of course I had to try it out, that's why I started experimenting with the wolves."

"You made them attack us?!"

"No, no! I never intended for them to attack anyone! I just haven't mastered these techniques yet, and they interpreted my orders the wrong way."

"What about me?" Heero sounded more than angry for being controlled.

"You are so fucking stubborn…" she ignored the glare. "When I saw your ankle I realized the toxin I had given the wolves must've contaminated you too. It was the perfect opportunity to give your relationship a little 'push in the right direction'."

"I could've raped him!"

"All I ordered was for you to follow your deepest desires… And you have my word I would've stopped if he wasn't liking." Aerion gestured to the blushing blonde beside her.

"And Ilia?"

"I was a little upset with her for turning me down, and you two needed another push, so I thought I could use her. The necklace was a present I gave her when she went to my hut to thank me for saving her."

"We should burn you alive." Heero growled thinking about witches' usual sentences.

"No." Link shook his head and smiled. "I believe her."

"She manipulated us!"

"But she had our best interests in mind."

"There's probably nothing I could do anyways." He sighed walking away from the door.

"Thank you." Aerion's sincerity caught them both off guard.

"It's alright, Aerion." The blonde smiled. "You're our friend."

"I…" she looked more than touched.

"There's still time for us to go." Heero cut in, and Link looked down.

"You insist on leaving?" Aerion asked surprised.

"You know my reasons."

"Honestly, I don't think they are good reasons!"

"And I think this is none of your business."

"Guys, please, stop." Link threw his hands up. "It's okay, Aerion."

"But…" she tried but the way he shook his head smiling sadly told her there would be no arguing. "Just remember what I told you the day we met."

"I will." His smile was a little happier this time as he watched her leave, then he turned to the other boy, and the smile disappeared. "I will… be ready in a couple minutes."

"Right." Heero rubbed his temples tiredly. If he wasn't so dirty, so worthless… He would've given everything to stay and make the blonde smile.


	9. Trapped

**A.N.: **Despite the scarce number of reviews (and I perfectly understand that since cross-over isn't very popular…) I'm still continuing this because I simply hate to leave a good story unfinished and yes I do think this is a good story. I would like to read it if I weren't writing it. XD

_**Chapter 9: Trapped**_

He knew Heero had said he would be leaving either way but still, as he walked faster and faster, he had to admit he had believed he would make the brown haired boy change his mind. It was just him being foolish, of course, after all Heero might have said his gender didn't matter, but he'd never said he loved the blonde back.

'_It doesn't matter.' _Link thought. _'He's going home now.'_

Watching the blonde for a second, he realized they were both lost in thought and, probably not paying any attention to where they were going. The map was with Link but when he'd taken a look he'd noticed they wouldn't have to pass through any villages on their way, they must have taken a wrong turn somewhere because they were a bridge and a field away from Kakariko Village now and a storm was coming.

"Link." He halted. "Link!" he had to grab the other boy's wrist for him to finally snap out of his reverie.

"What?" the blonde asked before looking around confused. "This is not the way!"

"I thought so."

"Why…?"

"We were both lost in thought." Heero stated matter-of-factly. Kyran, whom Link had insisted on bringing, barked anxiously at them.

"I'm sorry." He looked down ashamed.

"Perhaps it wasn't a good idea after all… To leave in such a hurry."

"If you want we can stay at the inn in Kakariko until tomorrow morning and then we proceed."

"Good."

"Where's Kyran?" he looked around searching for the little wolf. "He was here not a second ago."

"There." They watched as the puppy ran after an insect, a cricket they guessed, into a nearby cave.

"We have to go after him…" Link sighed starting to run. Heero followed, he had told the other boy not to bring Kyran but the blonde always managed to convince him, he knew the little wolf would bring trouble though.

They entered the cave and immediately lit their lanterns and a torch which was in one of the corners. There was a tunnel and the cave seemed to go on and on. A couple angry bats flew towards them but were easily scared away after a few good slaps, big rats ran past their feet annoyed with the sudden brightness. The boys found a bifurcation and were forced to separate, Link going right and Heero left.

Stepping carefully he avoided a giant, or so it was to him, carnivorous plant. The blonde was probably fairing a lot better than him, he was certainly no Indiana Jones, no, he was a gundam pilot! And there it was, another bifurcation, and still no signs of Kyran, he chose right, a choice he quickly regretted when the sparkling eyes of a giant spider locked with his own. He quickly reached for his gun, the familiarity of the metal in his hands a real blessing, and three shots later the animal laid dead at his feet.

Illuminating everything around he noticed it was a dead end and went back to take the other way he hadn't taken yet. All he found was another scary plant and another dead end. No puppy. He made his way back, this time to the point where he and Link had split up, it was then that Kyran came running straight into his leg. Heero could see he was a lot more agitated than usual, barking and jumping as he tried to convey whatever message he carried.

A cry of help echoed around them and there was no more delay. Kyran ran in front, showing him the way. They ran past a second torch turning right at yet another bifurcation, at the next they turned left and then right again, without hesitation until they found their goal.

That part of the tunnel had been invaded by giant roots that crossed over the ceiling, Link was trapped under a heavy one which seemed to have fallen on his back as he passed, he was trying rather desperately to keep the approaching giant spider away, waving the lantern at the monster's face.

Heero shot, the bullet grazing the spider's head but instead of retreating it only shook its pedipalps in anger and advanced even more. He cursed seeing how close the spider was to the blonde, and again when Kyran jumped on the beast biting one of its legs. Now the spider would never be quiet for him to get a good aim at its head.

He ran, jumping on the fallen root and from there on the giant animal's back from where, with no little balance, he shot it on the head, the spider falling sprawled on the ground, its body still shaking a little. Heero shot it again, just to be sure, before approaching the fallen root. It was obviously rotten, or it wouldn't have fallen, but still incredibly heavy.

"Fast." Link pleaded. "It's hard to breathe…"

"It's too heavy for me to lift it." He looked around thoughtfully. "Where's your sword?"

"Behind the spider. I lost my grip on it when I fell." The blonde watched as the other boy stepped over the dead animal and then again with the sword in hand. "What are you going to do?"

"Cut it. Make it lighter so I can lift it." And so he did, helping Link to his feet and supporting him as they made their way back, the storm ragged outside though and it wouldn't let them leave the cave anytime soon.

"We can't leave." The blonde voiced their thoughts with some difficulty.

"Let me take a look at you." Heero helped him sit beside the torch and get rid of all upper garments, shushing him when he tried to speak. "You have a broken rib."

"That's all?" Link asked surprised.

"Thankfully."

"By the pain I would've said they were all broken."

"Don't start complaining yet. I still have to set it back into place." He almost took that back when he saw the fear in those light blue eyes, it was the kind of fear he had long been trained not to feel, the fear of pain. "Lay down."

"You sure you know how to do this?"

"I've set my own bones into place more times than I can remember."

Link took a deep breath and closed his eyes concentrating on the feeling of the other boy's warm fingers against his skin, roaming lightly as they searched for the right place to push. He tried his best not to scream when searing pain shot through his nerves, he succeeded though he couldn't stop the lonely tear that ran down his cheek.

"Link?" Heero brushed the tear away, his body tense in expectation. When blurred light blue orbs found his he was finally able to breathe again. "Sleep." He whispered placing a kiss on the other boy's forehead.

"Thanks." Link smiled tiredly, closing his eyes again, the comforting feeling of those lips against his forehead accompanying him to whatever place his dreams may lead him.

"I think I remember now…" the brown haired boy told Kyran, who watched him curiously. "Fear."


	10. Storms

**A.N.: **I think this is one of the cutest chapters so far and I hope you'll like it as much as I do. ;)

_**Chapter 10: Storms**_

The light that came from outside hurt his eyes a little, he could feel his back burning with pain and he breathed slowly as he got used to the feeling, it was not as bad as it had been the day before but still there. He was looking around in search of Heero, he saw Kyran sleeping right beside him, he reached with one hand, careful not to move too much, to caress the soft grey fur.

"You're awake." A voice sounded from the entrance.

"Where were you?" Link asked, blue eyes scanning the other boy curiously.

"Getting us horses."

"Horses? But Aerion said we had to go on foot…" he sat up, too fast, hissing when the pain struck him, and if it hadn't been for the arm Heero quickly threw behind his back he would've been lying down again.

"Slow down… Breathe." He waited until the blonde was clam again to answer. "You know she wasn't serious, and with your wound it's better not to walk much."

"I'm fine." Link said rather bitterly knowing that their time together had just been shortened.

"Good, then we can get going."

"But you didn't sleep… You need rest."

"Do you need help to stand?" Heero, still crouched beside him, seemed to be planning the least painful way to help the blonde up.

"Why do you do that?"

"What?"

"Changing the subject like that."

"I didn't change the subject."

"What would you call it then?" Link raised an annoyed eyebrow.

"Okay, maybe I ignored what you said."

"Maybe?" he growled, feeling the pain as he forced himself to stand up on his own.

"I can't believe you are that upset over such a silly thing…"

"I'm in pain! Don't expect me to be patient with you." He called Kyran and walked out of the cave to the horses, a nervous white mare and a fat brown stallion.

"Link…"

"This fat horse won't do." He muttered to himself knowing very well the other boy was right behind him. "I'll call Epona."

Heero watched stoically as the blonde ignored him completely, reaching for a strange whistle, which looked a lot like a horseshoe, and blew a short tune soon followed by the sounds of gallop and neighs as Epona approached them.

"You…"

"No, I don't need your help." He signaled for the mare to lie down and he mounted without much trouble or pain. The look on the other boy's face broke his heart though, he might have been lost when Link found him but he certainly hadn't looked as lost as he did now. "Why are you doing this?"

"I…"

"Why are you leaving when you wish to stay?"

"I told you why."

"Do you believe your own words?" he asked honestly, and Heero sighed.

"No, I don't believe my staying here will affect the time flow."

"Then why? Am I that despicable?"

"Despicable? You? Link, why…"

"I don't wanna listen to it… Let's just… go." He motioned Epona forward slowly, he knew he had asked for it but the answer would surely hurt him more than he could bear at the moment.

"Is he thinking what I'm thinking?" Heero asked Kyran as he picked up the puppy and jumped on the white mare, there was no answer but a puzzled look.

XXX

They had been riding in silence for hours and hours, he wouldn't have minded if Link hadn't been mad at him and if he didn't care so much about the blonde, but, unfortunately, he did. Link didn't wanna hear what he had to say though, so his breaking the silence wouldn't work, and he didn't know what to say anyways, talking had never been one of his strong points.

As the sun finally started to set they had reached the place marked on the map as Zoras' Domain. Heero soon met the Zoras who were, to his limited knowledge of the race, mermaids and mermen. They were quickly taken to the king, Ralis, who was obviously very devoted to Link, and with whom they dinned before setting up their camp in the tunnel that connected Zora's Domain to Snowpeak. By the time they finished no one had yet spoken to the other and it seemed not even the small fire they had lit could chase away the frozen mood.

"We'll reach the summit tomorrow if there are no snowstorms." Their eyes met for a second before the blonde turned away again. "And then you can go home."

"Hum…"

"Heero, I…" he sighed. "I don't want us to say goodbye being angry at each other."

"I'm not angry. I understood what you said. I just wished you had listened to what I had to say…"

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright." Heero couldn't help but smile at the blonde head now resting on his shoulder. "How's the rib?"

"A little annoying. By the way, thanks for setting it back."

"You're welcome."

"It was a hell of a heavy root." Link chuckled. "We should sleep." He added but didn't move.

"Not yet." He reveled in the feeling of peace and belonging, if he left he wouldn't be going home, he would be leaving home, a home he never thought he'd have. "They say home is where the heart is… Maybe they're right." There was no comment, he knew there wouldn't be because the blonde's breath had slowed a couple minutes before.

XXX

Despite his feet being buried in the snow, he felt warm and somewhat happy watching Kyran jump around, sometimes disappearing when the holes in the snow were too deep. He smiled feeling Heero's presence next to him and the wind that blew so strong it almost knocked them down, they knew a snowstorm wasn't far away.

"If you see a cave, let me know. We may need one." He commented.

"We _will _ need one."

"Just be glad no wolves have appeared, though they're not as aggressive as they used to be."

"Maybe we could leave Kyran with them." The brown haired boy said, waiting to see the other's reaction.

"You know very well I won't let Kyran go anywhere."

"It's not what it looks." Heero pointed to the cave right in front of them where the little wolf was sitting contently. "He found a cave before us."

"He likes caves… and insects." Link chuckled remembering their previous experience.

"And trouble."

They joined Kyran as the first snowflakes started to fall, the wind only got stronger and colder, the storm was coming and they didn't have any wood to make a fire. Should they risk leaving?

"Freezing outside is a _certainty_, freezing here is a _possibility_." The blonde answered the question that seemed to hang between them.

"Let's walk a little deeper into the cave and away from the wind."

"I'm glad we brought the blanket."

"You can keep it."

"But your clothes are a lot lighter than mine."

"You're wounded, so there'll be no discussing this."

"No discussing?"

Kyran followed them, with his natural fur coat he wouldn't be cold anytime soon, he wondered if those two would ever stop discussing and concentrate on getting themselves a fur coat too… Humans were so weird.


	11. Snow

**A.N.: **Guys, I think I was mistaken… This chapter is even fluffier than the last one… And I thought fighting was cute… Well, we have a new champion! XD Does anybody see where I could have fitted a smut scene in the last chapter? Because I really can't see how I could've done such a thing yet my friend swears it was possible… Crazy author, crazy story. Crazy readers, crazy reviews. XP

_**Chapter 11: Snow**_

'_This cold air is going to kill us.' _Heero thought as he watched the abandoned blanket as if it would fly away any moment. After their little argument, which no one had 'won', it had been decided that Kyran was the one who needed the blanket the most, the wolf didn't agree with that though and kept walking happily around them until he settled in Link's lap. The blonde didn't complain, instead hugging the puppy tighter as he stopped his teeth from clattering.

Unable to stand the situation any longer, he got up and grabbed the apparently forgotten blanket. _'A childish outcome for an even more childish argument.' _He was still reprimanding himself mentally as he sat beside Link, so close their shoulders touched, and wrapped the piece of cloth around them both. Again the blonde didn't complain, he only stared surprised at the other boy's sudden outburst.

"We should've done this since the very beginning." Link commented feeling warm already.

"We're too stupid."

"You mean stubborn."

"And unbelievably immature."

"Why are you so angry at yourself?" he couldn't help but chuckle waking up Kyran who immediately jumped to Heero's lap, finding it suddenly a lot more interesting.

"I'm not myself anymore…"

"That's why you despise me? Because I've changed you?" Link looked up into the other boy's darker blue eyes.

"I don't despise you. I never have and I never will." He allowed his fingers to travel through the blonde locks, his next words a mere whisper. "I'm just scared of not knowing who I am anymore, of losing control, of not having a purpose…"

"You will always be _you_, doesn't matter what happens." He smiled warmly mimicking the other's actions, then cupping his face with one hand, thumb tracing invisible lines against the pale skin. "When you accept who you are you'll find your purpose."

"I can't accept who I am… Nor the things I've done." Heero smiled sadly shaking his head. "It's too late for me, Link."

"No, Heero. You can still be happy if you allow yourself to be." The blonde gave him a meaningful look. "And don't tell me you do not deserve it."

"How did you…?"

"I know you better than you think. Even if it's only been a week since we first met." He smiled wholeheartedly. "I feel like I've known you all my life."

"Maybe we were meant to meet."

"And maybe you were meant to stay." Link gave him a hopeful look, and Heero sighed.

"I wasn't meant to love though, and I'm afraid I've broken that rule."

"You…"

"I love you."

Their hearts beat so fast, light blue eyes searched dark blue ones for any trace of lies, there was none, and the blonde tried to swallow the lump in his throat, his mouth dry, he closed his eyes in sheer expectation. _'It's as if it was my first kiss all over again.' _He still thought before the warmth finally enveloped him, clouding his mind completely.

"Stay." Link pleaded when they pulled apart panting.

"I can't…"

"At least… think about it. For me?"

"Okay, I promise I'll consider that possibility." Heero reached for the blonde again, pulling him close, and forcing a sleepy Kyran to find a new place to sleep, but the little wolf didn't mind, after all he had stayed there to warm them and no one seemed to be cold anymore.

XXX

The sun was shining brightly, and if they hadn't been there, they wouldn't have believed a snowstorm had graced Snowpeak with its presence that night. They started climbing once again, a few more hours and they would be at the top drawing the magic circle that would separate them forever. Link could have laughed at the whole dramatics of the situation, if he had had the heart to do it, but, right at that moment, he had not.

All he could think was how his life would be once Heero was gone… Would things go back to the way they had been before? Did he want them to?

He looked up ahead at a tree that stood lonely in the middle of all the white snow, and he knew that's how he'd feel very soon. The trunk wasn't as cold as he'd expected when he placed his hand on it lost in thought. Heero watched from what he considered a respectful distance, he didn't know what the blonde was thinking about but he had a good guess for it was also on his mind.

"How can it do this?" Link asked suddenly. "How can this tree stand here, all alone, for so long?"

"It's a tree, Link." He shrugged. "But you should ask that to Aerion. I'm sure she's been alone for quite a long time."

"Maybe I should take her home with me when I'm back."

"Another puppy?"

"I guess." The blonde chuckled. "We were not meant to live alone. She must be suffering."

"She has the wolves."

"Wolves are not people, Heero."

"No, they're not." He dropped his arm across Link's shoulders and looked up at the tree himself. "Let's go. We're almost there."

"Hum…" the blond nodded and they started walking. "Do you think, if I planted a tree here, that it would grow?"

"If one grew why wouldn't a second?"

"You're right."

Heero would never be able to say how much he loved that smile because a snowball hit him square on the face, the smile widened as Link ran away from him followed by a barking Kyran. He allowed a smile to grow in his own lips as he kneeled to make a snowball he'd be sure to hit the blonde's face with.

XXX

"Yeto!" Link waved to the big white snowman up the hill, while he could only stare. Of course he'd seen a lot of unbelievable creatures since his arrival in Hyrule but that was _too _unbelievable. The creature was huge, like a giant white gorilla with a beaver's tail, standing on two feet and talking like a man.

"Link! Yeto happy you visit!" the snowman patted the blonde's back as gently as he could. "Oh! You bring food! Yummy grey wolf! Very rare…"

"He's not food, Yeto. He's my friend." The boy waved his hands in front of Yeto, but Heero picked Kyran up anyways, not feeling at all comfortable with the idea of the puppy being chewed by a snowman.

"Friend?" Yeto sounded confused, and Link sighed.

"He's just not food, okay?"

"Okay. Link come to the house. Yeta make dinner."

"Maybe some other time… We came here today with a mission."

"Mission?"

"Yeto, do you like drawing?"


	12. Aerion's Plan

**A.N.: **Yeah, this was supposed to be the final chapter… If it is? No, I know I could have ended the story here but it felt like something was amiss, I don't really know what, just keep your eyes open for the next (and final) chapter. Let me know if this one surprised you. ;P

_**Chapter 12: Aerion's Plan**_

As they stood, side by side, staring at the whole kingdom below them, Link couldn't help but think that declining Yeto's dinner offer had been a mistake… He rubbed his frozen hands together. It was not that he had not wanted a nice warm meal, he just wasn't sure he would be able to watch the lovey-dovey couple without feeling envious and, consequently, guilty…

He looked at Heero, who seemed to have turned back into the stoic young man he had been when he arrived, and wondered if he would eventually forget everything… Erase it all from his mind as the brown haired boy seemed to have done. No, he didn't want to forget, but did he have a choice? He suspected it depended on time and time alone, and he was sure he would wake up one morning just to realize he was married to Ilia and he would think things could not have been more perfect when, truth was, they almost had been.

"Why?" the question slipped from his lips before he had time to stop it.

Heero turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Why what?"

"Why are you leaving after all? You said the time flow does not really concern you and you don't have anyone to go home to, so…"

"Why?" he repeated Link's question to himself. He had been sure he knew why he was leaving then why couldn't he come up with any reasonable answer? Was he scared of exchanging the certainty of his life as a soldier for the uncertainty of a life in a reality so different, so full of new feelings he could barely comprehend? No, he was no coward.

"Yes, why?" the blonde pushed.

'_Because staying is just too easy.' _he thought but had no idea what it meant or where it had come from. He frowned. Perhaps he was scared after all… Scared because it was all too perfect and, therefore, fated to end soon. "I just have to." he looked away from the sky blue eyes, he knew that was no answer.

Link stared at the other boy for sometime, confusion written in his face, then his eyes hardened. "This is ridiculous." he watched as Heero turned back to him obviously surprised. "I'm not gonna stand by and watch you leave without even having a reason to. I love you too much for that."

"Link…"

"You don't need to follow me." he looked over his shoulder and glared at the hand Heero had outstretched towards him. This was his one last chance to make the other boy change his mind, the only idea he still had and he was going to take his risks. "Leave if you want. I'm going to Yeto and Yeta's for a late supper and a bed close to the fire."

"Link, wait!" Heero waited until the blonde had stopped and turned back to him. They were a good ten feet apart now, the circle between them. He weighted his options carefully but, when he finally looked resolute and it seemed he had reached a decision, the circle started glowing. It was midnight. Their eyes met but they could not bring themselves to speak.

'_Please, don't leave…' _ Link thought, he knew it was not his decision to make, but he hoped the other boy could read the plea in his eyes. The ache in his throat begged him to say something… He could see Heero was waiting for him to say something but what could he say? His mind was blank.

Then, just as the brown haired boy took a step towards him, someone appeared in the middle of the circle and so well hidden was the person behind coats and scarves that it took them sometime to recognize those blood red eyes, Aerion. She examined their surroundings curiously, rubbing her chin with her gloved fingers.

"So _this _ is Snowpeak?" she asked disappointedly. "I heard there was an abandoned mansion here but I see only snow and rocks and more snow…"

"What are _you _doing _here_?" Heero interrupted looking suspicious.

"Me?" she pointed to her own chest feigning innocence. "Just testing my new teleportation circle."

"'Teleportation circle'?" he stepped dangerously closer to the girl. "You mean to tell us that we came all the way here to draw your'_teleportation_ circle'?"

"Precisely. I simply hate climbing snowy mountains… Besides," she continued before he had the chance to strike her. "you two needed some alone time to sort things out, and I was sure you would've changed your mind by the time you go here."

"I hadn't changed my mind when we got here."

"Remember you were supposed to come on foot? If you had done that your mind would've been changed before you started climbing the mountain."

"But then we wouldn't have climbed…" Link reasoned approaching the others in case he needed to stop a possible fight. "And your plan would've been ruined."

"I knew you wouldn't come all the way on foot."

"Aerion, you're mad."

"Maybe." she shrugged picking up and abandoned Kyran. "Come on, doggy. Let's find that mansion." Aerion walked away holding the little wolf tightly in her arms. She was obviously still cold despite all the coats she wore.

An uncomfortable silence took her place between them, and the blonde wondered if Heero really had changed his mind or if he had just accepted all that as a setback and would keep searching for a way of returning to his original time… When he could stand the silence no longer he decided to ask: "You said you hadn't changed your mind when we got here… Does that mean…?"

"Yes, I changed my mind right before the circle started glowing."

"So it wasn't because Aerion tricked us and the circle wouldn't take you back?"

"No. I really want to stay here. With you." he offered the other boy a rare smile. "You reminded me of that when you said you loved me."

Link couldn't help but blush. "I don't know what to say." he admitted. "I've never felt so relieved." as a proof he exhaled a very long breath and smiled.

"We should go then."

"Make sure Aerion isn't lost and frozen?" he teased.

"I'm more worried about Kyran… She may have already eaten him by the time we get there." Heero said seriously but the blonde laughed taking the other boy's hand in his as they followed the path Aerion had taken.

XXX

After supper, as they sat together in front of the fireplace in Yeto and Yeta's living room, Aerion asked what they planned to do once they got back home. They exchanged a long curious look wondering if maybe they wanted to do the same things or if what they had in mind were completely different ideas.

"I was thinking you could move in with us." Link said hiding his smile against Heero's shoulder.

"What?" the brown haired boy snapped.

"No, thank you." Aerion threw another log on top of the already burning ones. "I would never be able to sleep knowing I was interfering on your… honeymoon."

"Okay, okay." the blonde took some time to stop laughing at their faces. "But, seriously, don't you feel lonely?"

"I did." she looked away from them as her eyes watered. "For a long time." as soon as she had recovered part of her self-control she turned back to them and smiled a genuine smile. "But, thanks to you, now I have friends."

"And you shall have them forever." Link smiled stretching his arm past Heero's back to pat the girl's shoulder. She nodded then stood, walking towards her improvised bed in one of the room's corners and bidding them goodnight. She was probably too emotional to continue talking. They couldn't help but notice that she lay facing the wall, but that might be because she wanted to give them privacy.

"You didn't answer her question."

"About what we plan to do when we get back?"

"What we are doing I do know." Link told him honestly. "But I wanted to know what you would like to do."

"Well… I think I should find a job. I'll need to buy more clothes and maybe we can reform your house."

"It's your house now too, you know."

"No, it's a lot more than a house…" Heero smiled. "It's home."

"Home…" he tried the word himself. "Yeah, finally home."

Kyran moved towards Aerion's bed as they kissed, he didn't want to be in their way after all they were his home as well.


	13. Under Starry Skies

**A.N.: **What's to say? I guess all stories deserve their silly and happy ending. XD Thanks for all those who journeyed with me throughout this, if you haven't reviewed yet: this is your last chance!

_**Chapter 13: Under Starry Skies**_

"Oh, darling, you can't possibly expect me not to flirt with him." Telma chuckled, ignoring the worried look in the blonde's face. They were sitting at one of the many tables Uli and Sera had placed around the village for that night's celebration.

"But he hates it, Telma, and it's not like he's completely devoid of emotions… He could rip your head off." it was just a manner of speaking, but Link would have expected even the most daring person to feel at least a little cautious. All the red haired woman did was laugh.

"You're worried he'll be mad at you because of me, right?" she winked at him. "Don't worry, honey. He's unable to feel angry at you. We all are."

"Except for Ilia…" he protested still upset at how angry the blonde girl had been once she saw them arrive from Snowpeak, they had been walking just a little too close and that seemed to have been enough for her to avoid them for an entire week and not show at the celebration.

"She's just sad it isn't her you love. She'll get over it."

"Maybe I should apologize."

"There is nothing to apologize for." they turned to Heero as he took his seat beside Link.

"I guess…"

"No one should be sorry for falling in love with such a handsome young man, right?" Telma smiled at him as he dropped his hand over the blonde's, looking quite disturbed by her flirting.

"You sound like you're in love with me, ma'am."

"Ma'am? Always the polite one." Aerion was suddenly behind him, a playful smile on her lips. "Afraid you may get attached if you start using our first names?"

"Go get us a bottle of wine, Aerion." the older woman told her.

"Maybe you don't realize… but we're not working tonight, woman."

"Talk about avoiding first names…" Heero muttered and Link chuckled.

"You know, you are Castle Town's big gossip." the black haired girl sat beside Telma looking eagerly at the plates filled with homemade food. "I don't see why you are coming out so discreetly."

"That's because people will be shocked, they expect certain things of me, after all, I am their beloved hero."

"Like you marrying a girl?"

"No, like me marrying the princess."

"Zelda?" Aerion asked surprised. "Why would you marry _her_?"

"Isn't that what happens in all fairy tales? Besides I spent a lot of time helping her rebuild the kingdom after the twilight incident."

"Does this Zelda person like you?" Heero cut in, voice sounding slightly concerned.

"Who knows? I heard the princess's far too busy to even contemplate love." Telma chuckled.

"I heard she liked women better." the red eyed girl commented licking her lips.

"The point is, honey," the red haired woman interrupted shaking her head at Aerion. "that what other people think does not matter." she gave them her trademark wink. "Now why don't we just enjoy the party?"

XXX

"They really do look good together." Aerion commented watching as her friends talked to yet another local wanting to congratulate them.

"I wouldn't mind it if they decided to make out right here in front of everybody."

"Uh! Telma that's… What the hell are you thinking?"

"As a way of assuming their relationship."

"Still… Ew!"

"I'm joking, honey." Telma laughed wholeheartedly.

"Never thought of you as a voyeur."

"Oh, really…" the older woman continued laughing as she stood. "I'll get us more wine."

"Yeah, of course." the black haired girl dismissed her with a weary wave of her hand.

"It's like getting married…" Heero flopped down next to her complaining loud enough that only she could hear.

"Come on, Heero." she dropped an arm over his shoulders getting a very unfriendly glare. "People around here are glad to finally see Link happy. They care a great deal about him."

"That's not what I expected to happen after we revealed the true nature of our relationship."

"People here are very accepting." they smiled to the mayor as he walked past them. "Just imagine how the actual wedding will be."

He sighed, watching as Link excused himself to come sit with them. He couldn't picture himself married and he hated all that flattery but maybe the sparkle in those light blue eyes and that smile he had learned to love would be worth it. As he looked at the blonde, he knew it would be.

"You two look like best friends." Link commented, smile widening.

"He and I?" Aerion pointed to the brown haired boy. "No way!"

"Definitely not." Heero added snorting.

"If you say so…" he chuckled squeezing in between them. "But you two have to admit that you do have lot in common."

"He and I?" the black haired girl repeated. "No way!"

"What did that guy want?" the brown haired boy asked turning to Link.

"Something about a treasure chest at the bottom of the lake in Lake Hylia…"

"Treasure?" Aerion asked wide eyed. "Let's go get it!"

"It's _ his _treasure, Aerion."

"So why did he tell _you _about it?"

"Because he wants me to recover it for him."

"Are you doing it?" Heero asked.

"I thought…" and he smiled. "If you guys wanted to come with me, it would be very lucrative. He offered a good reward…"

"Well…" the girl dropped an arm over his shoulders just like she had done with the other boy before. "Why not? Maybe we could open an office or something… Recover treasures all over Hyrule."

"A business of our own?" Link sounded just as excited, and Heero shook his head.

'_Hopeless…' _he thought watching them chatter away. He looked up at the sky, smiling. The stars had never looked more beautiful.


End file.
